This invention relates to the application to an upper eyelid of liquid adhesive material to retain a fold in the skin thereof. This invention replaces either surgical procedures by which the upper and lower portions of an upper eyelid are sewn together or non-surgical procedures such as the application of double faced adhesive tape. Surgical procedures are expensive, scary to a patient and may involve damage to a patient's eyesight. The use of tape to adhere the upper and lower parts of the upper eyelid uses a special instrument which requires special training to remove the double faced tape from a tape storage sheet and to apply the removed adhesive tape onto the outer surface of the upper eyelid.
The upper eyelid moves down over the eyeball when an eye is closed and retracts upwardly over the cornea to expose the iris and pupilary opening when the eye is opened. A thin strip of cartilage known as the tarsal plate holds the skin of the upper eyelid relatively rigid. The skin above the line of rigidity is thin and tends to fold. The skin of the upper eyelid usually sags or droops when a person ages. Such drooping affects the vision above the horizontal line of the tarsal plate as it is impossible to provide a view in an upward direction when the eyeball is rotated upwardly since the line of vision is covered by the drooped portion of the eyelid. Also, the natural puffiness and droop that develops in eyes of people of middle age or older tends to make the person with such drooped eyelids look older. Furthermore, the droop in the upper eyelid can interfere with the application of eye makeup by women.
One method of correcting eye drooping has involved surgery. However, surgical procedures are expensive and dangerous. In the event an eye surgeon accidentally cuts into the eyelid muscle, there is no known surgical procedure for correcting such an accident.
As a substitute for a surgical procedure, the prior art has developed the use of a tape strip member and applicator device. Several tape strip members of desired size and shape are mounted on a thin sheet of plastic and the applicator device is applied to the upper surface of a tape carrying adhesive on opposite side surfaces to first remove the tape strip member from the backing sheet and then applying the removed tape strip member in proper position onto an upper eyelid. It would be desirable to develop a technique avoiding the need for surgery and the need to apply a strip of adhesive tape that supports the upper eyelid in non-drooping relation.